Rock Oil is proud to be featured in the latest Motorcycle Trader magazine. With details on our new office and laboratory, an overview of the processes at Rock, along with future expansion and investment plans for the company.

This past week saw the start of a major redevelopment of the company’s manufacturing site in Warrington, Cheshire. Increased global demand for the brand has resulted in the need to expand and to ensure the business can satisfy all future customer requirements. The first phase of the project is a brand new Research & Development centre. This 10,000 square foot building will house one of the finest independent laboratories in the country and staff across technical, sales, marketing and senior management. With over a million pounds worth of technical equipment, the facility will be at the cutting edge of the lubricants industry. The current laboratory already runs 20,000 quality control tests a year and works with major OEM’s, having factory approvals from the likes of Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz to name but two. Rock prides itself on both its quality and diverse range of products and this new facility will only enhance the business’s ability to produce the very finest lubricants possible.

Rock Oil is one of the few remaining blenders of lubricants still manufacturing in the UK and has worked with multiple British and World champions across various motorsport disciplines. Rock Oil is currently the official lubricant partner of the British Superbike Series which is the biggest domestic motorcycle race series in the world.

Current sponsored athletes include Tai Woffinden the current world speedway champion and Dougie Lampkin 12 time World Trial champion. Rock Oil powered the Gearlink Kawasaki of Alistair Seeley when he broke the record for most race wins at this year’s North West 200 and lubricated Ian Hutchinson’s Padgetts Honda record 5 race wins round the famous Isle of Man circuit in 2010. Rock Oil is synonymous with quality and performance and the new R&D centre will ensure they continue to produce the very best lubricants possible for future champions.

The company is rightly proud to be a British manufacturer and has always been based in Warrington since its inception nearly 90 years ago. It is still a family firm albeit one that has nearly 100 employees and exports to nearly 70 countries worldwide.

Following a fantastic 2015 supporting the British Superbike Championship, Rock Oil distributors and staff enjoyed great success at the 2016 Motorcycle Expo.

Held over three days in Stoneleigh Park, the Motorcycle Expo provides an opportunity for dealers and exhibitors to discuss business related to motorcycle products for the upcoming year. Following Rock Oil's recognition for commitment to quality with the attainment of BS EN ISO 14001:2004, discussions ranged from new launches for our motorcycle range, to forthcoming plans to further increase Rock Oil brand awareness nationally.

The Expo also gave us an opportunity to detail proposals on the continual improvement of policies and procedures within Rock, with aims to earn further accreditation based on quality management principles and a strong customer focus. Rock Oil will continue to support the BSB in 2016 and look forward to cementing the association between Rock Oil and the choice of lubricant for the racing series.

The International Dirtbike Show finished this past Sunday after a hectic 4 days for Rock Oil. The stand was busy throughout the show period and we had many hundreds of visitors come to say hello. Visitors to the Rock stand were able to grab themselves a goodie bag with a selection of posters, stickers and a stick of rock. The very latest off road products were on display and the revised Factory Air Filter Range was on show for the first time.

The show also allowed us to meet up with race partners and discuss plans for 2015 and beyond. We were delighted to renew our partnership with Buildbase Honda and their team of Kristian Whatley, Graeme Irwin and Lewis Trickett should ensure they are amongst the favourites for titles in 2015. We have also renewed partnerships with Heads & Threads Suzuki and Phoenix Tools Honda. We are currently in discussions with a number of other off road teams as we look to finalise our support program for 2016.

The BSB came to Assen in the Netherlands over the weekend for the 10th round of the MCE British Superbike championship. With Rock supported team Gearlink Kawasaki earning a podium finish in the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship. Rock rider Glenn Irwin finished a strong fifth on Saturday and built on his performance on Sunday achieving third place. Ben Wilson had another consistent weekend with a seventh and sixth places, and Luke Hedger sadly crashed out of race one but bounced back to finish in ninth in race two.

Glenn Irwin worked hard all weekend to secure two great results. Despite the poor weather over the weekend Glenn put in consistent times and this put him in sixth place on the grid for the opening race on Saturday. Glenn had a steady start and was seventh after lap one and as the race progressed he was soon locked in a battle for second place. On each lap riders were swapping positions and Glenn made a fantastic move on the last lap and got through to second place, but a mistake saw him drop back to fifth as the flag came out.

For race two Glenn was started in fourth on the grid and was keen to better his result from race one. He had a brilliant start and was lying in second after the first lap. The safety car was deployed on lap two after an accident and it returned to the pit lane at the end of lap five. Towards the end of the race Glenn dropped back to third place which he fought to maintain until the end of the 13-laps.

Ben Wilson continued to make further progress with the Gearlink Kawasaki at Assen and qualified in ninth place for the Sprint race. In race one Ben had a good start setting some great lap times to finish in seventh place. For race two Ben started from seventh and got a brilliant start and moved through to fourth place after lap one. He was looking really strong staying with the leaders, eventually completing the race in sixth place.

Luke Hedger once again was having a consistently strong weekend setting times placing him within the top ten in each session. He managed to qualify the Gearlink Kawasaki in seventh place for the Sprint race. He dropped a place after lap one and was unfortunate to crash out on lap three. He was placed in eighth for race two on the grid but a short start saw him drop back through the field and he fought hard to bring the bike home in ninth place.

Glenn Irwin -"I'm so pleased to be back on the podium again as it feels like it has been a long time coming and a long wait. It really should have been two podiums but it was me that made a mistake in the first race and it was a rookie error but maybe I was trying too hard as I wanted the podium so much. I'm glad I was able to make amends in race two and get back on the box. It is so hard to compete against the Triumphs, they are in another league. We will continue to keep fighting until the end of the season for some good results and to finish the year on a high.

I would like to thank all my sponsors and of course the Gearlink Kawasaki team who always give me everything they possibly can. We have all worked really hard to get back here and it is a big team effort."

Ben Wilson -"I feel like we have made some progress this weekend with the Gearlink Kawasaki and I am beginning to feel more comfortable riding it. It has been a tough year and I've not had the results I have wanted but it was good to be battling up near the front again. I hope we can continue this progress and I really am aiming for a podium at Silverstone or Brands."

Luke Hedger -"It was a bit of a tough weekend for us and the weather caught everyone out so track time was limited. I was feeling happy with the way things were going but then I crashed out of the first race and we now think this did some damage that we didn't know about. Sadly we only found out in race two and so I had to try and nurse the bike home so I'm pleased with a top ten result. Thanks again to all the Gearlink Kawasaki team, my sponsors and family."

Rock rider Peter Hickman recorded a brace of points in the MCE British Superbike championship to maintain his 10th place in the overall rider standings. The weekend’s racing was interrupted by frequent showers affecting tyre choices for the riders. Riding the RAF Reserves BMW Peter made it through to the second stage of qualifying to begin Sunday’s opening 18 lap race from a fifth row grid position.

It was a close and exciting 18 laps with Hickman battling for position throughout the race. The Lincolnshire rider held his position to cross the finish line in ninth place to be awarded seven championship points. The second race was affected by bad weather, following the warm up lap the race was delayed because of rain showers on parts of the circuit. When the race was declared safe to run, it had been cut from 18 laps down to 15 because of time constraints. Although the track was beginning to dry it was still declared a wet race. Leaving the riders with a choice on which tyres would be most suitable. Hickman opting for a cut slick on the front and a full slick on the rear. Hickman started well and was seventh at the first sector, eventually completing the race in 13th position.

Going into the penultimate round of the campaign Peter Hickman holds 10th place in the rider standings on 110 points. If he's able to score well at Silverstone and Brands Hatch he could be challenging for the Riders Cup which is awarded to the rider who finishes the season in seventh place.

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship visits Silverstone Circuit for the penultimate round of the Showdown and 2015 season on the 2nd 'til the 4th of October.

This past weekend saw Oulton Park host the Rock Oil round of the 2015 MCE BSB championship in the scenic Cheshire countryside. It was a fantastic event as the Rock brand enjoyed some of its best ever exposure over an action packed weekend. It was further enhanced by it being the Superbike Superbike showdown where the final 6 riders who could contest the championship would be decided. In and amongst the many thousands of spectators were over 100 Rock Oil guests who were hosted in both the Fogarty Moss building and also in a special marquee. Customers across various industries, staff and our German importers were amongst the Rock Oil guests who enjoyed the weekend.

Not only were guests able to enjoy fantastic hospitality but many were also treated to grid walks, safety car laps and meeting with the Gearlink riders who visited the Rock Oil Marquee. Having enjoyed fantastic branding throughout the series the past weekend was ever better and marked a high spot in our partnership with the championship.

In the main Superbike class Josh Brookes and Shane Byrne traded knockout blows leaving the event separated by just two points and having both tasted the winners champagne. The remaining four slots were finally filled by James Ellison, Tommy Bridewell, Dan Linfoot and Michael Laverty. Rock supported team RAF Reserves BMW and their rider Peter Hickman started the day full of optimism on the back of two 2nd place finishes at the previous round at Cadwell. A crash during qualifying effectively ended their slim chances of making the top 6 after qualifying in 23rd place. In spite of this Peter recorded a 10th and 6th place in 2 of the 3 races meaning good points as he aims to finish the season as high as possible in the championship.

The Gearlink team continued their competitiveness in the Supersport class as all 3 riders were focussed on podiums. Glenn Irwin had a dramatic crash in the first race but race two saw him capture 4th and help keep him in 4th place in the championship. Ben Wilson looked more like his old self as he had two strong results with a 6th and 5th. Rounding off the trio was young Luke Hedger, he continued to show he can mix it with the best securing an 8th and a 6th place finish. Gearlink also welcomed Jed Metcher to the team as he rode the Gearlink superbike for the first time. With the bike needing more development work and Jed having not ridden at Oulton Park before his results were superb and he took a number of high profile scalps.

Last but certainly not least, Morello Racing’s Josh Elliot maintained his position at the top of the Superstock championship following a 2nd place finish at Oulton. The Rock supported team have a strong 17 point lead over title rival Alistair Seeley with only two rounds of the Superstock championship remaining.

With some fantastic racing and spectacular crashes the Rock Oil round at Oulton Park was memorable for all who attended.

The 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship comes to Oulton Park this weekend for the official Rock Oil round. We are delighted to be an official supplier to one of the largest and most popular domestic championships in the world. Rock has supported motorcycle racing in all its forms for many years and this weekend’s round is the flagship event for the Rock Brand as part of the largest racing partnership in our history. It offers fantastic kudos for Rock and a chance to celebrate our commitment to supporting top class motorsport.

We will be hosting customers, friends and partners of the business, including our German distributors, who have travelled over especially to enjoy the weekend of racing with us. It should be a sensational weekend of racing as Oulton Park is set for the closest Showdown decider in MCE BSB history, since the format was introduced back in 2010. The upcoming races will confirm the final riders to contest in the three-round Showdown starting at the end of the month at Assen. There's four places to be confirmed with 14 riders in with a chance of joining the final battle for the title.

The main headline event of the BSB is backed by the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Pirelli National Superstock 1000 and 600 Championship and British Motostar over the weekend. We wish Rock supported teams RAF Reserves BMW, Gearlink Kawasaki, Morello Racing and Motodex BMW the very best of luck in their respective classes.

Rock Oil rider Matej Žagar thwarted a nasty fall to win the Gorzow FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland on Saturday night. Racing on his home track Žagar caught another rider's wheel in heat 18, landing awkwardly with his bike nearly clearing a safety fence. Thankfully after being checked out Žagar defied the odds to take the re-run and push for a win. Ultimately claiming his third career SGP win taking him up to 81 Championship points overall.

Fellow Rock rider Tai Woffinden scored a fantastic 18 points over the course of the evening and came third in the final race. Tai is currently leading overall with 109 points in the Championship standings, with clear daylight between him and his nearest rival.

Many of the racers over the evening were keen to send their best wishes to Darcy Ward after sustaining serious spinal damage in Poland last Sunday.

Woffinden had this to say:“I’d also like to send a special message to Darcy, who was watching today. After hearing that crowd tonight, we know there are a lot of people thinking of him and there for him in heart and soul. It’s great to see. We all love him, we’re doing everything we can and we will continue to do that.”

Zagar said:“Speedway can be so cruel and you can be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can’t say any words about what happened (to Darcy) last week. All I can say to Darcy is I just wish him luck.”

In the World Championship standings for fellow Rock riders Chris 'Bomber' Harris is currently in 13th place with 39 points and Troy Batchelor is in 12th place one point ahead with 40. The next round of the Speedway FIM World Championship will be held at the Stadion Matije Gubca in Krško, Slovenia on Saturday 12th September.

Rock supported rider Peter Hickman scored his first ever double podium finish in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship for the RAF Reserves BMW team at Cadwell Park, pulling off a sensational last lap move at the Chicane to claim second place.

Hickman had celebrated his first win in the championship at the Lincolnshire circuit last year, but on Sunday gave his best performance of the season to move up the order and prove he intends on being a threat at the front over the final four rounds.

Hickman said:"It's been a tough weekend because I had a big crash yesterday but that's part of the job and you've got to just get on with it. I want to give a massive thanks to the team because they've been mint all weekend and repaired the bike really quickly. It felt really good, if anything it felt maybe better than it did before the crash! My phone hasn't stopped all weekend and the support from the fans has been mega.

"Two podiums in the dry help to put the doubters out and now it's important to carry on this form. It's been a tough year in BSB for me with the first round going well and since then we've kind of gone backwards. We've been a bit unlucky with a few things so hopefully that luck has changed.

"We had to really battle for that one as we didn't have the luxury of the two safety car intervals to have a bit of a rest! I made a bit of a mistake which let Tommy through, I ran wide at Charlies and he just got me as his bike is just a little bit faster than mine, but I sat behind him and he was a bit slower than me in a couple of places including Mansfield, so I thought I would wait for the last lap and let him have it. I just want to thank everyone for their support this weekend.

"Oulton Park is mega and when we tested there earlier in the year I was really close to the lap record but unfortunately had that crash and broke my back and ribs so fingers crossed we'll have a weekend closer to the lap record and less of the crash!"

In the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship Rock rider Josh Elliott charged to victory for Morello Racing. Josh now holds a strong 32 points lead in the title stakes, and yet to finish outside the top two in any race he has taken part in this season. With a definite chance to be crowned 2015 National Superstock 1000 champion.

The next round of the 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship returns to Oulton Park for the specially named Rock Oil round. A momentous occasion for the company, we're expecting many customers and friends of Rock Oil to attend and enjoy the proceedings. With high profile branding with trackside hoardings, and all key areas within the paddock and prize giving areas. The event starts on the 4th of September and runs until the 6th of September.

Round eight of the Rock Oil sponsored MCE British Superbikes Championship arrives at Cadwell Park this weekend. Known as the 'mini-Nürburgring', Cadwell is the local circuit for Rock supported rider Peter Hickman, where he enjoyed his first British Superbike win last year. Hickman will be keen for a repeat performance this coming weekend, hot on the heels from his success in the Superbike Class at the Ulster GP.

Rock sponsored teams Gearlink Kawasaki, Morello Racing and Motodex BMW will be looking to build on their positions in the support classes.

The event begins on Friday 21st August with a series of warm up sessions, with qualifiers and support races on the Saturday. The MCE BSB action will be supported by a top-class support bill which includes the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Pirelli National Superstock 1000 and 600 Championship and British Motostar.

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